Safety steering-attachment.



H. P. LAROUETTE. SAFETY STEERING ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION IILED JULY 7, 1909.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

INVENTOR NITNESSES;

H ENRY P. LA

gourr:

UNITED strATEs Aii NT OFFICE,-

- r. tnaoun'r'rn, or 'san men-murmurs; nssrsiron-onownnrenrn TO- ARTHUR :r nroan', A L or SAYN 'JosE,'cALIFoRNIA.-' v K To all whom it may concern:

1 Be it known that I, HENRY P. LARoUET'rE,

citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, inthe county otSanta'Olara and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Steering At;

oted to the axle at 3 and having the steering tachments, ofwhich the following is a specification. y This invention relates to a safety appliance for use with automobiles and the like, for maintaining the front steering j wheelsnormally parallel with the longitudinal: axis of" the machine, at the same time permitting the wheels to be turned by the steering gear. v

The object, of the invention is to provide a simple cheap, practical attachment'which will tend toavoid'ac'cidents resulting from defects or breakages' in the steering gear, 20

andwhich attachment is simple of application to'any vehicle already in use.

The invention consists of the parts and the constructionan'd combination of partsas hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having-reference to the accompany- 111%(119LW1I1gS, 1n wh1eh igure 1 is a plan view of the invention.

Fi 2 is a sectional detail. Fig. 3 is a detai of the cushion-member;

A is the front axle of an automobile or other vehicle to which the invention may be applied, 2 are the steering knuckles pivarms 4 connected by a .rod 5. Simultaneous steering action of; the knuckles and of the wheels which are carried by the knuckles 2 is effected from the steering wheel thro'hgh the rod 5 and the'usual steering gear, not here shown. I

6 is a rigid arm sucuredto each steering knucklm'and 7 is a rod connectii'ig the two arms 6. Ifhis rod is gripped centrally by a split clamp collar 8 which is provided with an anti-frictionroller 9 adapted to Work in a slot-1 0 in an adjustable arm 11, which latter isfulerumed at 12 to a bracket-13; this snsnfirv s-rnnmns ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentd "12, 1910. Application filed uly 7,1909. Serial No. session a tubulartr'unniQniIIiember l9 pivoted atfj20 in the bottom of the'slot 21 formed in the ears ,22 at the end of fthe' bracktl'ii; the

spring 17 having the-one 'end abutting-.,' against the upper end of'the' threaded s'lejeve' Y 18,-and the other endabutting against-the shoulder 23 on the rod.v The tens1on of thetwo. springs 17 is adjusted byfsuitjablyf turning the nuts'18 SO t.ho arin 11] will" normally stand at right angles to the'axl'e A so as to maintain the wheels straight ahead, or parallel with the ion of themachine. The result is-that i anythingi vgoes 'wrong withfthe. steering gear, these vsprings 17, by reason of'the yielding piv- .otalaction. of the b-race rods 15,-will maintain the coursefof the vehiele in a straight line, and therefore tend to lessen-the danger of accidents by theoverturning offthe ve hicle. [After the springs}? are 'onceadju'sted, the sleeve 18. is locke'd in position by the set nut 24; the turning of the-sleeve 4 being efiected'by the" forniationiof 'a .suitable'polygonal' head thereon, as shownat 25.

' Theadjustable arm 11 and the. bracket-8o 13 which can .beclamped :at'a'ny angle to the axle enables the device to 'bea'pphed toj "diflerent makes "of 'machine without' difli .culty. p

Having thus described my invention, 35 what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is' 1. The combination with ahvehicle axle, I

of steering knucklesturnable thereon, arms rigid with the knuckles, a'rod Hivotally connecting them, anqarm ivota y supported on the axle between said rigid arms, pivotal connections between said pivoted'arm' and said connecting rod, and a pair of spring supported slidably mounted brace members connected to the pivoted arm to maintain it normally atright angles to the axle;

2. The combination with a vehicle axle,-

of steering knuckles turnable'thereomarms 7 .Rods'lij are p-ivotedto opposite's'ides ofthe adjustable arm 11 at anyfsuitable pointbetween the ends of the-arm, as shown at bracket 13 being secured centrally to the I rigid with the knuckles, a rod ivotally eon axle A by suitable means, as the U-bolts 14.

vnecting them, an arm pivota y supported on-the axlebetweensaid' rigid arms, pivotal.. connections between said pivoted am and v, 'saidconnecting rod, and means acting on 16,-these rods 15 having a-reduced. portion 1 the-pivoted arm to maintain it normally-.105 surrounded by a spring17, each rodhaving at rightangles to the axle, said last-namedi.

' supported race members an means com rising a pair of springrockmg supports therefor and through which said mem-' bers are slidable. M v

3. The combination with a vehicle axle,

of steering knuckles turnable thereon, arms -ota connectionwitl said. rod between said necting them, an arm pivota rigid arms, and spring tension means acting on the pivoted arm to nmmtain the knuckles normally inalii'lement, said lastnained meansincluding a pivotally mounted support and a spring supported brace member slidably operating through said sup-' port. .5."I-he combination of a VClHC-lO axle,

knuckles ivotedthereon, arms rigid with the kmick cs, a rod pivotally Connecting said arms, a bracket'remoyably-carried by the axle, an arm pivoted" to the bruclwt and pivotally connected to said, conneulin g w, ill, and spring tension devices coaeting with said pivoted arm andsaidbraeket to main-- tain th -spindles normally in line, said SpnDg -=tBI1S10I1 devlces including a pair of opposed spring supported brace members ammo and pivoted trunnions in which said mom bers are slidably mounted. t i

6. The combination ofa, vehicle. axle, knuckles ivoted thereon arm's with the knuck es, a rod pivotally connecting said arms, a bracket removably carried by the axle, an arm pivoted to the bracket and pivotal-I3 connected to said connecting rod, and spring tension devices coacting spring tension devices including a cylinder having trunnions upon which it is turnablfi, a sleeve threaded 1n said cylinder, a rod sliding in the sleeve and pivoted-to said pigoted ar1n,-and a spring surrounding the 10 l ii 7.- The combination of a vehicle axle, knuckles pivoted .thereon arms rigid with the knuckles, a rod pivota y connecting said arms, a bracket removably carried by the axle, an adjustable arm pivoted to the bracket and pivotallyconnected to said conw said pivoted arm and said bracket to main:

tain the spindles normally ..in line, said:

meeting rod, and springtension devices-eoacting with said pivoted arm and said. bracketto maintain the spindles normally in line, and said tensioning devices including rodspivoted to opposite sides of said pivoted arm and sliding in suitable trunnion members on the bfaeket,and oppositely act" ing springs; on said rods.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset' my hand in thcpr'esence of two subscribing witnesses, v I

HENRY P, LAROUETTE; l-Vitnessesr if I EDWIN A. Wncon- Gnonen E. BQWILLnS. 

